Trump administration proposes tying transit funding to birth and marriage rates

The Trump administration announced a plan earlier this month that would tie a large portion of federal funding for public transit to high fertility and marriage rates. The change was announced as a plan.

If implemented, the proposal could give communities with many traditional nuclear families a 10 percent funding boost for new trains, bus routes and ferry lines. The Transportation Department said projects seeking federal funding need to align with places where communities and families are growing.

An Urban Institute analysis found that places with the most traditional nuclear families tend to be whiter and wealthier than the population overall. Their residents are also much more likely to travel by car than by train or bus.

The Transportation Department has also allowed grants for adding stroller space on trains and buses to proceed, among other upgrades intended to make public transit more accommodating for families.